Our Team

Drawn to horses at a young age, Laurie transitioned from a horse enthusiast to equine professional successfully managing Moxie Stables, a horse boarding facility in Mogadore, while simultaneously holding an auxiliary riding position on the Summit County Mounted Unit for over a decade. A staff member of HTFAS since 2013, Laurie earned her current role as Executive Director leading rescue efforts to bring horses and farm animals to the safety of the sanctuary alongside law enforcement and humane agents. She is dedicated to continued equine/animal welfare education through her membership of the ASPCA/Right Horse Initiative.

Audra Agnone serves as the Placement Coordinator for HTFAS to find placement for in-transition and at-risk farm animals and horses. Raised around horses from birth, her experience runs the gamut beginning with gaited horses and jumpers mixing in Western pleasure and for the past several years focusing on barrel horses. Audra has a passion for expanding the equine program at HTFAS and works tirelessly to help ensure it runs at its best to help more horses and has increased the HTFAS equine adoption rate by 300%.
Audra and her husband have three children under six. She enjoys campfires and spending time outdoors. “My life is a little busy at times, but I wouldn’t have it any other way!”

Ilona Urban has been drawn to animals ever since she can remember and spent many years rescuing stray cats and dogs from the streets of Akron. As an Akron Public Schools art teacher what animals she didn’t find on the streets her kids brought to her.
After retirement, Ilona dabbled in animal shelter work but the discovery of HTFAS changed her life as she began to work with farm animals and horses.
“When you find your right place you just know it and working with this population of animals is something I plan to keep doing for years to come.
Sharing the sanctuary with families, our supporters, children and teens brings me such joy. Once a teacher always a teacher and opening people’s eyes, minds and hearts to these incredible animals is what I love.”